Interlocking ballast system

ABSTRACT

A ballast system for a machine is provided. The ballast system includes a plurality of ballast assemblies interlocked with one another. Each of the plurality of ballast assemblies includes a body defining a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is distal to the second surface. The body includes a hollow configuration. The ballast assembly includes a first cover plate affixed to the first surface. The ballast assembly also includes a second cover plate affixed to the second surface. The ballast assembly further includes a passage provided on at least one of the first cover plate and the second cover plate. The passage is adapted to interlock with a passage of an adjacent ballast assembly of the plurality of ballast assemblies. The passage is further adapted to allow flow of a ballast material therethrough.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to an interlocking ballast system. Moreparticularly, the present disclosure relates to the interlocking ballastsystem for a machine.

BACKGROUND

Machines, such as a pneumatic compactor, include a ballast chamber forreceiving a ballast for increasing a weight of the machine. The ballastmay include blocks made of concrete, aluminum, cast iron, steel, and soon. Additionally, the ballast chamber may be filled with water toincrease the weight of the machine. The blocks may include differentshapes, material, and may be arranged in various configurations withrespect to one another within the ballast chamber to optimize the spacewithin the ballast chamber and/or to achieve a required weight of themachine.

In order to increase or decrease the weight of the machine, each blockmay have to be individually added or removed from the ballast chamberrespectively. Based on a size of the ballast chamber and/or the requiredweight of the machine, a number of such blocks may have to be installedor uninstalled from within the chamber. The installation/uninstallationof the blocks is a time consuming and a labor intensive process which inturn may lead to machine downtime, reduced operational efficiency,increased operational cost, and so on.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,993,110 describes a ballast system for compactingmachines. The machine comprises a chassis supported on front and rearwheel-axle assemblies longitudinally spaced from each other. The chassisincludes a chassis median extension located between the front and rearwheel-axle assemblies defining a raised platform. The platform includesa ballast lateral retaining means. The retaining means include aplurality of modular ballast elements fitted and locked against downwardvertical and horizontal displacements by respective lateral engagingmeans of modular ballast elements. The engaging means are disposedtransversely under the chassis median extension and include a weightthat is selectively determined in function of the characteristics of acompacting load desired for the wheel-axle assemblies. Each of themodular ballast elements includes a pair of identical ballast boxes. Theballast boxes are symmetrical to the machine longitudinal axis. Each ofthe ballast boxes include an internal end portion provided with acentral engaging means coupled to a ballast central retaining meansaffixed under the chassis median extension.

Currently used ballast systems for the machines are complex, expensive,and require complicated installation techniques. Hence, there is a needfor an improved ballast system.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In an aspect of the present disclosure, a ballast system for a machineis provided. The ballast system includes a plurality of ballastassemblies interlocked with one another. Each of the plurality ofballast assemblies includes a body defining a first surface and a secondsurface. The first surface is distal to the second surface. The bodyincludes a hollow configuration. The ballast assembly includes a firstcover plate affixed to the first surface. The ballast assembly alsoincludes a second cover plate affixed to the second surface. The ballastassembly further includes a passage provided on at least one of thefirst cover plate and the second cover plate. The passage is adapted tointerlock with a passage of an adjacent ballast assembly of theplurality of ballast assemblies. The passage is further adapted to allowflow of a ballast material therethrough.

Other features and aspects of this disclosure will be apparent from thefollowing description and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary machine, according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a ballast system of the machine of FIG.1, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a partial cross sectional view of the ballast system of FIG.2, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective exploded view of a ballast assembly of theballast system of FIG. 2, according to one embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughoutthe drawings to refer to the same or the like parts. Referring to FIG.1, an exemplary machine 10 is illustrated. More specifically, themachine 10 is a compaction machine. In other embodiments, the machine 10may be any other machine such as a wheel loader, a tractor, a skidsteer, a fork lift, a crane, and so on. The machine 10 may be anymachine associated with an industry such as construction, mining,transportation, agriculture, material handling, marine, and so on.

The machine 10 includes a frame 12. The frame 12 supports one or morecomponents of the machine 10. The machine 10 includes an enclosure 14,The enclosure 14 encloses a power source (not shown) mounted on theframe 12. The power source may he any power source known in the art suchas an internal combustion engine, batteries, motor, and so on, or acombination thereof. The power source may provide power to the machine10 for mobility and operational requirements.

The machine 10 includes an operator cabin 16 mounted on the frame 12.The operator cabin 16 houses various controls (not shown) of the machine10. The controls may include a steering, levers, pedals, a controlconsole, buttons, audio visual devices, and so on. The controls maycontrol the machine 10 on ground. The machine 10 also includes rollers18 mounted to the frame 12. The rollers 18 support and provide mobilityto the machine 10 on the ground. The rollers 18 also perform compactionof a surface, such as an asphalt surface, based on applicationrequirements.

The machine 10 further includes a ballast compartment 20 provided withinthe frame 12. The ballast compartment 20 has a hollow configuration.Referring to FIG. 2, the ballast compartment 20 may receive a ballastsystem 22. The ballast system 22 provides a desired weight to themachine 10 during the compaction of the surface based on applicationrequirements.

The ballast system 22 includes a number of vertical stacks 24 providedadjacent to one another. In other embodiments, the ballast system 22 mayinclude a single vertical stack 24. Each vertical stack 24 includes afirst ballast assembly 26, a second ballast assembly 28, a third ballastassembly 30, a fourth ballast assembly 32, and so on stacked one overthe other. Each of the first ballast assembly 26, the second ballastassembly 28, the third ballast assembly 30, the fourth ballast assembly32, and so on are interlocked with one another and will be explained inmore detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. Also, a configuration ofeach of the first ballast assembly 26, the second ballast assembly 28,the third ballast assembly 30, the fourth ballast assembly 32, and so onis similar to one another.

Referring to FIG. 3, a partial cross sectional view of the ballastsystem 22 is illustrated. More specifically, FIG. 3 includes a crosssectional view of the first ballast assembly 26 and the second ballastassembly 28 in an assembled position. The first ballast assembly 26 andthe second ballast assembly 28 are interlocked with one another via aconnection interface 34. The connection interface 34 also provides achannel for a flow of a ballast material therethrough. The connectioninterface 34 will be explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 4.The arrows 36 depict the flow of the ballast material into the secondballast assembly 28 and further into the first ballast assembly 26through the connection interface 34. The connection interface 34 mayalso be present between the second ballast assembly 28, the thirdballast assembly 30, and the fourth ballast assembly 32 of the ballastsystem 22 to provide interlocking and the channel for the flow of theballast material therebetween.

Referring to FIG. 4, an exploded perspective view of the first ballastassembly 26 is illustrated. It should be noted that the configuration ofthe first ballast assembly 26 is similar to the configuration of each ofthe second ballast assembly 28, the third ballast assembly 30, thefourth ballast assembly 32, and so on. The first ballast assembly 26will now be explained in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. Thefirst ballast assembly 26 includes a body 38. The body 38 includes ahollow and rectangular configuration. In other embodiments, the firstballast assembly 26 may include any other configuration such ascircular, trapezoidal, and so on without limiting the scope of thedisclosure. More specifically, the body 38 includes a first surface 40and a second surface 42. The first surface 40 is distal to the secondsurface 42.

Also, the body 38 includes a number of sidewalls 44 extending betweenthe first surface 40 and the second surface 42. The first surface 40,the second surface 42, and the sidewalls 44 are interconnected with oneanother in a manner such that a central cavity 46 is formedtherebetween. The central cavity 46 receives the ballast materialtherein. The ballast material may be any material known in the art suchas water, oil, metal, concrete, sand, gravel, soil, and so on, and/or acombination thereof.

Further, the first ballast assembly 26 includes a first cover plate 48.The first cover plate 48 includes a flat and planar configuration. Inother embodiments, the first cover plate 48 may include any otherconfiguration such as a stepped configuration without limiting the scopeof the disclosure. The first cover plate 48 is affixed to the firstsurface 40 of the body 38. The first cover plate 48 may be affixed tothe first surface 40 by any known fastening method such as bolting,riveting, and so on. The first cover plate 48 encloses the body 38 froma first direction 50.

The first ballast assembly 26 also includes a second cover plate 52. Thesecond cover plate 52 includes a flat and planar configuration. In otherembodiments, the second cover plate 52 may include any otherconfiguration such as a stepped configuration without limiting the scopeof the disclosure. The second cover plate 52 is affixed to the secondsurface 42 of the body 38. The second cover plate 52 may be affixed tothe second surface 42 by any known fastening method such as bolting,riveting, and so on. The second cover plate 52 encloses the body 38 froma second direction 54.

Further, the first ballast assembly 26 includes the connection interface34 provided on at least one of the first cover plate 48 and the secondcover plate 52. More specifically, the connection interface 34 includesa first passage 56 provided on the first cover plate 48. The firstpassage 56 is connected to the central cavity 46. Accordingly, the firstpassage 56 allows the flow of the ballast material therethrough andwithin the central cavity 46.

The first cover plate 48 includes a first port 58. The first port 58 isaxially aligned with respect to the first passage 56. The first port 58provides connection between the first passage 56 and the central cavity46 and allows the flow of the ballast material therethrough. The firstpassage 56 also interlocks with a second passage (not shown) of theadjacent second ballast assembly 28 of the ballast system 22 and will beexplained later in detail. The first passage 56 may be interlocked withthe second passage of the second ballast assembly 28 by any knowncoupling method such as bolting, threading, coupler, and so on.

The second cover plate 52 also includes the connection interface 34provided thereon. More specifically, the connection interface 34includes a second passage 60 provided on the second cover plate 52. Thesecond passage 60 is connected to the central cavity 46. The secondpassage 60 allows the flow of the ballast material therethrough.Accordingly, the second cover plate 52 includes a second port 62. Thesecond port 62 is axially aligned with respect to the second passage 60.The second port 62 provides connection between the second passage 60 andthe central cavity 46 and allows the flow of the ballast materialtherethrough.

In the illustrated embodiment, as the second passage 60 is provided onthe first ballast assembly 26, the second passage 60 allows the flow ofthe ballast material out of the central cavity 46 as and when required.Accordingly, the second passage 60 of the first ballast assembly 26 issealed by any known sealing element 64 such as a cap, a plug, a sealingcompound, and so on. When the second passage is provided on the secondballast assembly 28, the second passage of the second ballast assembly28 is interlocked with the first passage 56 of the first ballastassembly 26 and allows the flow of the ballast material therethroughfrom the second ballast assembly 28 into the first ballast assembly 26.

The first ballast assembly 26 additionally includes a first seal 66provided between the first surface 40 and the first cover plate 48. Thefirst seal 66 also includes a first aperture 68. The first aperture 68is axially aligned with respect to the first passage 56 and/or the firstport 58 of the first cover plate 48. The first aperture 68 allowsconnection between the first passage 56 and the central cavity 46. Thefirst seal 66 provides a sealing surface between the first cover plate48 and the first surface 40.

The first ballast assembly 26 also additionally includes a second seal70 provided between the second surface 42 and the second cover plate 52.The second seal 70 includes a second aperture 72. The second aperture 72is axially aligned with respect to the second passage 60 and/or thesecond port 62 of the second cover plate 52. The second aperture 72allows connection between the second passage 60 and the central cavity46. The second seal 70 provides a sealing surface between the secondcover plate 52 and the second surface 42.

The first seal 66 and/or the second seal 70 described herein is optionalbased on application requirements. In some embodiments, the first seal66 and/or the second seal 70 may be omitted. In such a situation, thefirst cover plate 48 may be directly affixed on to the first surface 40,and the second cover plate 52 may be directly affixed on to the secondsurface 42 respectively. The first seal 66 and/or the second seal 70 maybe any sealing means known in the art such as a gasket, a sealing plate,a sealing compound, and so on. The first seal 66 and/or the second seal70 may be made of any material known in the art such as rubber, polymer,metal, and so on. Also, the first passage 56 and/or the second passage60 may be any component adapted to provide a channel for the flow of theballast material such as a tube, a pipe, a hose, a coupler, flange, andso on. The first passage 56 and/or the second passage 60 may be made ofany material known in the art such as metal, polymer, rubber, and so on.

The first ballast assembly 26 also includes a recess 74 provided on thesecond surface 42. The recess 74 includes an elongated and steppedconfiguration. The recess 74 engages with a lifting means (not shown) tolift the first ballast assembly 26. In one embodiment, the lifting meansmay be a fork of a forklift. In another embodiment, the lifting meansmay be a chain, a belt, a rope, and so on to engage with the recess 74to lift the first ballast assembly 26. In yet another embodiment,additionally or alternatively, the first ballast assembly 26 may includea hook, an eyebolt, and an on to lift the first ballast assembly 26.

It should be noted that the components of the first ballast assembly 26viz. the first cover plate 48, the first passage 56, the first port 58,the second cover plate 52, the second passage 60, the second port 62,the first seal 66, the first aperture 68, the second seal 70, and thesecond aperture 72 may also he provided on the second ballast assembly28, the third ballast assembly 30, the fourth ballast assembly 32, andso on. Also, the configuration, number, stacks, components, layout ofthe first ballast assembly 26 and/or the ballast system 22 disclosedherein is merely exemplary and may not limit the scope of thedisclosure.

Industrial Applicability

The present disclosure relates to the ballast system 22. In theillustrated embodiment, the ballast material is filled through a firstpassage 76 (shown in FIG. 2) of the fourth ballast assembly 32. Due tothe interlocked configuration of the ballast system 22, the ballastmaterial flows from the fourth ballast assembly 32 into the thirdballast assembly 30 via a connection interface (not shown) therebetween.The ballast material then flows from the third ballast assembly 30 intothe second ballast assembly 28 via a connection interface (not shown)therebetween. Further, the ballast material flows from the secondballast assembly 28 into the first ballast assembly 26 via theconnection interface 34 (shown in FIG. 3) therebetween. The ballastsystem 22 may be filled with a required quantity of the ballast materialbased on the desired weight of the machine 10. The number of the ballastassemblies and/or the vertical stacks 24 may be added or removed basedon the desired weight of the machine 10 and/or a size and/or a dimensionof the ballast compartment 20. Additionally, the vertical stacks 24 ofthe ballast system 22 may also he interlocked with one another in orderto improve connection within the ballast system 22. In such a situation,the complete ballast system 22 may be filled with the ballast materialthrough a single vertical stack 24.

In other embodiments, the ballast system 22 may include the number ofballast assemblies interlocked with one another and disposed adjacent toone another in a horizontal configuration, in another embodiment, theballast system 22 may include only the first ballast assembly 26 havinga size and/or a dimension approximately equal to the size and/or thedimension of the ballast compartment 20. In such a situation, the firstballast assembly 26 may be filled with the required quantity of theballast material based on the required weight of the machine 10.

The first ballast assembly 26 and/or the ballast system 22 describedherein may include a number of design and/or layout configurations otherthan the ones described herein based on application requirements withoutlimiting the scope of the disclosure. The ballast system 22 provides asimple, convenient, cost efficient, and space efficient design of theballast system 22. The ballast system 22 is easy to install reducingmachine downtime and labor effort in turn leading to increasedmachine/operational efficiency, reduced costs, and so on.

While aspects of the present disclosure have been particularly shown anddescribed with reference to the embodiments above, it will be understoodby those skilled in the art that various additional embodiments may becontemplated by the modification of the disclosed machines, systems andmethods without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.Such embodiments should be understood to fall within the scope of thepresent disclosure as determined based upon the claims and anyequivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. A ballast system for a machine, the ballastsystem comprising: a plurality of ballast assemblies interlocked withone another, each of the plurality of ballast assemblies including: abody defining a first surface and a second surface, the first surfacedistal to the second surface, the body having a hollow configuration; afirst cover plate affixed to the first surface; a second cover plateaffixed to the second surface; and a passage provided on at least one ofthe first cover plate and the second cover plate, the passage adapted tointerlock with a passage of an adjacent ballast assembly of theplurality of ballast assemblies, the passage further adapted to allowflow of a ballast material therethrough.
 2. The ballast system of claim1 further including a first seal provided between the first surface andthe first cover plate.
 3. The ballast system of claim 2 furtherincluding a second seal provided between the second surface and thesecond cover plate.
 4. The ballast system of claim 1 further including arecess provided on the second surface, the recess adapted to engage witha lifting means adapted to lift the ballast assembly.